


The Colosseum

by baebel



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: (minimal) dirty talk, AU, Android laws, Background Relationships, Blow Jobs, Bottom Connor, Breaking the Law, Case Fic, Complex AU, Crushes, Eventual Smut, First Kiss, First Meeting, First Time Blow Jobs, First Times, Grinding, M/M, Manipulation, No actual sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Praise Kink, Prostitution, Top Hank Anderson, Undercover As Prostitute, Undercover Missions, Voyeurism, android anatomy, background sexual tension, basically it's just really self-indulgent, but its not a huge deal, connor x strangers, connors legs, kissing strangers, lying, nothing extreme though, police work, prostitute RK900, questionable police work, sex under unclear circumstances, sex with strangers, sex work in a positive light, thigh job, unclear ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-08-08 16:22:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16432817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baebel/pseuds/baebel
Summary: Gavin and Connor go undercover at a sex club named "The Colosseum" to investigate 'infected' androids. The co-owner, Hank Anderson, takes a particular liking to Connor.





	1. Assignment

**Author's Note:**

> Second fic for the fandom and I'm a little hesitant given how ooc the au is. Basically, Connor and Gavin are partner in the DPD, and because of this Connor was never involved in the revolution. Hank is the co-owner of The Colosseum. This is entirely self-indulgent but I thought I may as well post it regardless.

“I honestly don’t even know why we’re still having this conversation!” Gavin all but screeched in his superiors face, prodding the desk with a bony finger. “The revolution was months ago, I shouldn’t look at him any differently than I do anyone else on the force. You said that yourself, remember?” Fowler sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest and preparing to explain what he had a dozen times in the past to the same man. He nodded, trying not to make his impatient glare too obvious. “So why the hell is he still my partner? I thought maybe the one good thing to come out of this might be that he’d finally realize he’d be better off elsewhere, with all the other plastics.” He sighed and rubbed a hand across his forehead. “You wouldn’t force me to work with anyone else… so why him?”

“You know why, Gavin.” Fowler began as though he were reading off a script, and shot a sympathetic glance to Connor, who stood neatly in the corner of the room with his hands behind his back like an overgrown boy scout. “He’s the only android on our force at the moment, and from what the stats say, he’s also the best detective. You’re not getting out of this. Make this easier for everyone and get on with your assignment.” He shook his head and lent forward again, peering down at the case files strewn across his desk. He picked one up and handed it to Gavin, who seemed to cheer up once he glanced over the file. Connor lent forward, trying to read over his shoulder. 

“He’s not a detective.” Gavin clarified, insistent on having the last word. At least he wasn’t yelling. “He’s a detective assistant.” He turned away from the desk, pushing open the glass door, not bothering to hold it open for Connor.   
“He might as well be.” Fowler snapped back. He’d changed his tune since the revolution. He’d seen the way Connor had acted since he’d become a deviant, and it was definitely for the better. He still wasn't a huge fan of androids, thought the world would be better off without them, but they were here and he’d come to terms with the fact. He only wished Gavin would adopt the same sentiment he had. 

The detective strode over to his desk and slammed the file down onto it, collapsing into his chair and opening it again. Connor perched himself on the edge of his desk and placed his hands in his lap. No matter how human he thought he was, he still had the stiffness of a machine. He often wondered himself if he would ever behave exactly like a human, and whether or not he even wanted to. From what he’d seen humans were far from ideal. He wasn’t desperate like some to imitate their every move. “I don’t understand why you still insist on physical copies of case files.” He said to Gavin, who’d been blatantly attempting to stare him down. “I’m perfectly capable of downloading the files directly through a secure network. It would be beneficial for both of us if you utilized my-”

“There you have it.” Gavin said. “It would be beneficial to you.”  
“To both of us.”  
“I’m willing to make a little sacrifice.” Connor rolled his eyes. He really shouldn’t have expected anything more from Gavin. Most people around the office had grown to at least accept Connor for what he was, but Gavin was stubborn. He was still stuck in the same loop of anti-android rhetoric he had been when Connor had first arrived. It was childish, really.  
Connor shifted, clearly tired of trying to prove himself. He was a shy person by nature and despised the unwritten responsibility he had of keeping Gavin in line. He shouldn’t have to explain basic decency to a full-grown man. He knew from experience that reason didn’t work on him. “Reed.” He began. “I’m only trying to do my job.”  
Gavin pushed the case file across to desk towards him. “Do it, then.” He insisted with a smirk. Honestly, Connor had no idea how he managed to keep his job with that god-awful attitude. He picked up the offered file and began to read, his eyes flickering over the pages and memorizing each aspect within minutes.  
“It says here that there has been multiple reports of androids infected with an unknown affliction…” He turned a page over to an array of victim profiles. “They all work within the same industry, but apart from that there’s no obvious link. They’re all different models… work for different clubs…”

“They’re whores, you mean?” Gavin said, sitting forward in his chair a tad too eagerly.  
“Sex workers.” Connor corrected. “Each of them reported a dangerously heightened sense of arousal-”  
Gavin barked a laugh “I really don’t see how this is a problem. I can tell you right now humans pump themselves full of all kinds of shit to make sure they last a little longer in bed. The androids can handle it.”  
Connor felt his thirium rise to his cheeks. “This isn’t consensual. They are being infected, Reed. None of them seem to remember any of the actions that took place during the worst of the effects. It could be a tool the offender uses to take advantage of them…”  
“You’re telling me a paying customer infected these androids with the purpose of taking advantage of them… in a brothel?” He shook his head. “You know that don’t add up. There would be no reason for him to bother.”  
“Maybe he gets off on it.”  
“Or maybe this is deviants trying and failing to adjust to human sexuality.” Gavin snatched the case file from Connors hands and squinted down at it. “They haven’t even found anything substantiating these claims! No detectable programming, no known drug with these kinds of side effects. No record of injury, let alone death as a result. We’re homicide, Connor. This isn’t our gig.”  
“It’s mine, which makes it yours. By proxy.” Connor said with a sigh. “I wish  
you were right, I wish it was that simple.”  
“It will be.” Gavin insisted, and turned to the front of the file. “May as well get this shit-show over with now. Won’t be a piece of cake.” Connor stood and rounded to stand behind Gavin, reading over his shoulder. The most recent report had come from an android working part-time at a club by the name of ‘The Colosseum.’ He’d googled it before he’d been asked.

“It seems to be a rather high end establishment.” Connor said, perusing the site. It was well set out, and had completely customized profiles for each of the androids working there, including the one who’d submitted the report. An RK900 model going by the name Nines, who apparently specialized in suspension bondage. Connor made a mental note to investigate further into the field at a later date, when he wasn’t hovering over his coworker. This was, for the most part, a completely foreign concept to him. He knew what sex was, of course, and had his own curiosities, but it had never gone further than that. “It appears that the victim is still actively working at the brothel.” He noted. He could see why, too. His pay rate was steep. Connor switched to looking at photos of the club itself, depicting two dozen androids in a room of curved leather couches and draping fabrics, all of it bathed in a unifying blend of colored lights. It was tasteful, as far as this type of thing went, which meant it would be harder for him and Gavin to investigate on-site without making the entire club a crime-scene. 

“I don’t think that we can just walk up to the front door with a wad of cash.” He said, clearing his search and turning back to Gavin.   
“Why the fuck not? Works every other club in the city.” Gavin replied. Connor sighed and instantly sent him an email with the site linked, which Gavin clicked. His jaw dropped an inch. “Oh. Oh okay.” His ears reddened. “Well then, what do you suggest?” Connor thought for a moment. He honestly didn't know what they could do. Raiding the place would be labelled as a hate crime, no matter who gave the order, and he highly doubted the owners of the place would be willing to dish out the names of every customer they’d had in the past week, even if they did keep that kind of record.   
“Are you at all experienced with undercover work?” He asked, and the detective instantly raised his eyebrows.  
“Undercover? At a sex club?” Gavin reiterated. “As what? Customers?” Connor nodded. Gavin smiled. “No offence, plastic, but that ain’t exactly your type cast. This place is gonna be filled with sleazy businessman and pervs, not 20-something twinks. I mean, unless you were one of the whores.” His eyes widened and he grabbed Connors arm. “You should be one of the whores.”  
“Sex worker.” Connor whined.  
“See, you’ve already got the part down to a T Already! You’re a natural!”  
Connor shook his head. “I don’t know about this… it certainly seems more dangerous.”  
“No one's gonna believe you have problems gettin’ any. This will be much, much more believable. Plus, you’d have to have a sit-down chat with the man in charge to get the job. Might be the only way to get to him.” Connor knew that on some level, Gavin was right. It certainly wouldn’t be the easiest role to play, but if it would help with the mission…  
“Fine. I’ll call the place now.” He said, straining his posture and making his way over to his own desk. Well, that had been easier than Gavin had expected. He turned in his chair and propped his feet up on the desk, watching Connor closely.

The android sat back and loaded up the site again to find the phone number. Once he did he called it, and was instantly greeted with the cheery voice of a young woman. “Hello, you’ve reached The Colosseum, how can we service you today?”  
“Oh uh- hello. I was actually inquiring about any potential jobs available.”  
“No problem!” Replied the voice over the phone. “Have you worked in the industry before?”  
“I have not.” Connor said, sounding defeated. She gave a sympathetic sigh.   
“I’m sorry, but we don’t usually hire first-timers. I’m sure you’ve gathered by looking at our site that all the androids working here are long-term professionals. They all have extensive experience in their fields and…”   
An idea was quick to form in Connors mind. It was the logical step to take, really. If he’d had no experience, he could use that as his charm point. “In fact I’ve never engaged in any sexual activity whatsoever.” The way he said it was so stiff and robotic, Gavin had to stifle a laugh.  
“I’m sorry?” The girl asked.   
“I was rather hoping that I could use that as part of the appeal.”  
The woman paused for a moment. “It’s not our usual style but… Look, I can’t make any promises, but I can recommend you to the employment manager. Lucky for you, she’s in today.”  
Connor smiled. “Yes, thank you. That would be wonderful.”

A moment later another voice spoke. “So, you’re a virgin, then?”   
Connor blushed. This was certainly a change of pace. “Uh- yes.”  
“And you decided you might as well make some money off of it?”  
The way she phrased it was vulgar. She’d get along with Gavin well. “Yes.”  
She paused, the only sound between them her fingers on a computer keyboard. “What’s your name, then?” She asked.  
“Connor.” He answered before he could come up with an alias. Perhaps this was affecting him more than he’d initially predicted. He couldn’t seem to think straight.   
“And your model?”  
“RK800.”  
“Shit, that’s rare, ‘specially in this field.” She mumbled before typing it down. “And when would you be able to come in for a chat?”  
Connor shifted his gaze to Gavin, indicating that so far, their plan had worked. “Whenever you want me.”


	2. The Club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crit/comments are greatly appreciated!

What Gavin had initially proposed as a joke was now the basis of his and Connors plan to infiltrate the club. Sure, he’d encouraged him into the role, but he hadn’t actually expected him to go along with it, and certainly hadn’t predicted that he would be offered an interview. It suited Connor though, he was pretty enough and had all the right intentions. He’d never have come up with this himself. He put the phone down and sighed in relief. Gavin couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen him so uptight.   
“They expect me to come in for an interview at seven tonight.” He said staring at his desk. His gaze moved to his chest, where a tie rested between his open Cyberlife jacket. While most deviants were more than happy to rid themselves of their assigned uniforms once they’d ‘woken up’, Connor had never had enough of a reason. Despite the revolution, he was still the mechanical poster boy of the DPD. He didn’t think his potential employees would take too kindly to him showing up dressed as he was now. “I’m going to need to borrow something from lost and found, too…” The idea of wearing someone else's clothes only made him more uncomfortable. He snapped his attention back to his partner. “What exactly do prostitutes wear, detective Reed?”  
“Why would I know that?” The detective retorted, and when Connor didn’t respond he rolled his eyes. “Definitely not whatever that is.” He gestured towards Connor vaguely. “You can keep the shirt… maybe even the tie if you loosen it a little. Those pants gotta go, though. Not nearly tight enough. And those shoes… fuck those shoes are ugly.”  
Connor bit his lip, and stared down at his feet. He did have to admit that there might be some truth to Gavin's words. His shoes were, in fact, ugly. “Well what would you suggest instead?”  
Gavin pushed his chair back and stood up from his desk. “Go and dig around in the bins a bit. See if anything that’s been turned in could be of use. I’ll let Fowler know the plan.”

Connor nodded and walked down the hall into a storage room. Despite why he was doing what he was, he still felt the need to be secretive. Like he was living some double life as a high-end escort just for the thrill of it. Strangely, he was beginning to understand the attraction of the job. He’d needed no resume, no references. All it took was one phone call and he’d already made it to the short-list. The room was packed with tubs stuffed full of discarded and forgotten clothes, from saris to brand-name hoodies, from heels to combat boots. Connor had always wondered how someone might lose their shoes. It was quite impressive, really. He began with the shelf nearest to him, cracking the lid of the tub and shoving his hands into the mound of mismatched clothes and rummaging through them. This was going to take a while. There were dozens of tubs, which only made it harder for him to decide. He was a good thirty minutes in when he’d gathered enough for a decent outfit; a navy tie, a pair of leather shoes, and as per Gavin's request, a pair of pants so tight they hurt to look at. He cleaned up after himself and left the room with the pile of clothes neatly folded over his arm, the shoes in his hand. He would put off changing into them for as long as was possible.   
Gavin was leaning against the wall opposite, waiting for him. His pouted in mock disappointment. “Aw, what’s this? I was hoping for a bit of a fashion show.” He grinned.   
Connor frowned and brushed past him. “I’ll see you tonight.” He murmured. 

Later that night, Connor stood out the front of The Colosseum, eyes glued to the front door. It was a huge sheet of frosted glass, the glowing lights inside only vaguely visible, moving with the blurred shapes of humanoid figures. Connor didn’t often need to consciously allow himself to relax during cases, and he’d certainly seen worse things than legally-grey prostitution. He was more nervous than anything, and perhaps a little intrigued at the prospect of having his curiosities sated. Not that he would actually sleep with anyone. Hopefully him and Gavin would only need a few days between them to crack the case, and then he could return the tortuously tight pants back to the lost and found. This was all temporary, Connor reminded himself, sliding the door open. He wasn’t going to be here for long.   
As soon as he opened the door he was greeted by the same woman he’d initially spoken to over the phone. Her name-tag read Ahlanna. “Oh, hello! You must be Connor!” She smiled wide, and turned in her chair to address him properly. “Amelia told me you’d be arriving soon.”  
Connor smiled sheepishly and after a moment's consideration, stepped inside the building. The door swung closed behind him. “How’d you know it was me?” He asked anxiously.   
Ahlanna chuckled. “I do most of the administrative work here and I noted your model on your paperwork.” She said. “Rare, in this industry. You might have something going for you.”  
“You think?” Connor breathed.   
Her smile softened a fraction, noticing that Connor wasn’t exactly bursting with confidence. “Yeah, I do think. You’ll be fine. We look after our androids here, don’t worry.” Her LED flickered and Connor clenched his teeth. How had he not managed to notice that she was an android herself? It should have been the first thing he’d checked. His system could have identified her serial number almost instantly if he’d bothered. He was clearly on edge, and wasn’t entirely sure why that was. “Hank will be expecting you. I’ll give him a call, he’ll be with you in a moment.”

Connor nodded and thanked her briefly, turning to distract himself with the decor of the room. In the corner sat a curved couch, much like the ones he’d noticed in the pictures on the website. Above it were what could only be described as tasteful near-nudes. They were all fairly dramatic considering the subject matter, each printed in black and white and framed perfectly. The first one that caught his eye was of an ST300 with a ball-gag nestled between her lips. The next showed a proud human next to an RK900, the same one who’d submitted the complaint. It appeared he was hanging from the ceiling from an intricate web of roped cross-crossing over his chest, knotted along his back. Ah. So this was suspension bondage.  
“You interested in that sort of thing?” Came a voice from behind him. Connor turned to face the stranger, who he recognized as Hank Anderson, the co-owner of the club. “We could always do with another rigger.”   
“Rigger?” Connor asked.   
Ahlana piped up from behind her desk. “This is Connor.” She said. “The uh… the less experienced applicant.”  
“Oh… I see.” Hank nodded. He spoke gruffly, and Connor found it hard to gauge the impression he’d made. Hanks expression gave very little away, the lines in his face unmoving. “You been to the club before?” He asked, and Connor shook his head no. “Any club?’ Connor hesitated, and that told Hank all he needed to know. He rolled his eyes. He didn’t do well with newbies. “Follow me.”

Connor did so, walking a good meter behind him. The moment Hank opened the door to the main lounge of the club he was immediately overwhelmed trying to process what he was seeing. The lights were low and tinted, swaying slowly over the few clients that had already arrived for the night and their android entertainers, each with a different task to attend to. Two of them, both women, were curled around spinning silver poles atop a sloping stage lit from beneath. Another, an AK700, was on his knees in front of a suited businessman who was stroking his hair slowly. Next to them, a WR400 watched on. Connor swallowed and paused for a moment. The entire scene was hypnotizing, and not at all what he’d expected. It wasn’t loud or distasteful. It might have even been clean.   
“Connor.” Hank called, and Connor turned back to him, nodding once in apology. They made their way to Hanks office, which Connor thought rather underwhelming in comparison to the rest of the club. It looked just as you’d expect any office to, minus the family photos. Out of sheer curiosity, Connor glanced down to Hanks ring finger. No ring, but a tan line to indicate there had been one once. He glanced to Hanks face. He didn’t appear as sleazy as you’d assume, in fact he looked more like he belonged in a local bar on lottery night than running a brothel. It was clear he’d tried to tidy himself up a bit. He wore a plain white shirt and dark jeans, his hair nestled at the base of his neck in a barely-there bun. Hank cleared his throat and sat down behind his desk, gesturing for Connor to do the same opposite him. He did so, attempting to cross his legs before receiving a painful reminder of the tightness of his pants. He flinched visibly, and Hank smirked. “You’re not used to this, are you?”  
“No, sir.” Connor answered.  
Hank lent forward an inch. “So my question is, why now?”  
Connor shifted uneasily in his seat. “I uh… I left my job. Being a prototype, and all…”   
“You figured you’d get replaced sooner or later anyway.”  
Connor nodded, his fictional story a painful reminder of reality. He knew the DPD would never replace him now, but that has always been the intention.  
“Why sex work?”  
“I’ve come to realise that the concept of virginity is highly valued between humans.”  
“You’re not wrong there.” Hank agreed. He clearly thought there was more to it, but he’d leant to not ask too many questions. “What type of employment are you looking for? This a one-time gig?”  
Connor shrugged. “Whatever you can give me.”  
Hank nodded. He was clearly considering Connor. Without any previous employment or references there really wasn’t much to discuss. Besides, Hank was a firm believer in demonstration. Keeping him on unpaid for a few days would surely prove to be a greater indicator of character than any amount of paperwork could provide. But apart from that he was pretty and willing, and besides experience, that was just about what they looked for in employees. “And when can you work? Any previous engagements?” Connor shook his head, indicating he’d be available to come in whenever it was required. Androids were good like that, often having no life outside of work. Didn’t even need to sleep. “I saw you eyeing up that suspension bondage display in the waiting room. Is that something you’d be interested in?”  
Connor felt his cheeks begin to heat up. “I’m not… immediately opposed to the idea.” He said. “I’m willing to try anything.”  
“Anything is a wide net to cast.”  
“I need this job, sir.” Connor replied, and Hank nodded.  
“Alright, then. You can hang around tonight. I’ll call Nines down and he can show you around. You won’t be working until tomorrow, if you’re still up for it, and even then you’d just be getting used to the place, familiarizing yourself with the clients. If all goes well we might consider putting you up for sale. Sound good?”  
Connor relaxed back into his seat minutely and smiled. “Yes. Thank you, sir.”  
Hank nodded and gestured for Connor to stand up. He turned to his phone and pressed a button that directly connected him to the front desk. He told Ahlanna that Connor would be waiting out the front of his office for Nines, given that he didn’t have any clients booked for the night. Connor took the hint and left the room, closing the door behind him. He looked down at the floor below him where the majority of the action was taking place. Things were beginning to heat up. The lights were dimmed further now, making it harder to tell exactly what was going on. 

His gaze finally rested on an android dressed in slim jeans, straps of leather crossing over his chest and looped through steel rings. He was accompanied by a human who gazed down at the ground, his smile ghosting across his lips as the android placed his hand around the back of his neck, squeezing hard. The feeling of this place was unlike anything Connor has experienced before. He’d been to previous sex clubs for work, and they were all rather unappealing. The androids all wore the same uniform and stood in rows in glass capsules, waiting to be picked out by a human. They had no need for personalities. No specialties. In some cases, the level of consent was questionable. That wasn’t the case at The Colosseum at all. Every individual was valued and protected and as far as Connor could tell, here entirely by their own will. So why on earth would an android working here be the victim of an attack? It didn’t fit the usual profile in the slightest. Perhaps Gavin was onto something after all. He certainly had more experience with-   
“Oh hey, Connor! Lookin’ good!”   
Connor turned to see his partner with a goofy smile on his face, hanging off the arm of the RK900. Nines. Connor shot him a confused glare for a moment, trying to piece together why Gavin would 1, interact with the victim of the attack and 2, address Connor so openly when they were supposed to be undercover. “Gavin.” He said, waiting for the man to explain himself.   
“This one here recognised who I was as soon as I stepped through the door and couldn’t keep his hands off me.” Gavin told him, poking Nines in the chest while he was at it.   
“I simply wanted to be informed on the progress of the case.” Nines said. He sounded similar to Connor, only his voice was deeper and without any of the human influence. It was still recognizably robotic.  
“Yeah, yeah. That’s what they all say.”  
Nines remained unmoved. “Your partner is intoxicated.” He said blandly. “I got very little information out of him. I can help you both with the case if you’re willing to reciprocate.”  
Connor smiled and nodded. Even if Gavin had already broken every little rule in the book, Nines seemed willing to keep everything under wraps if they could catch whoever was doing this.  
“I would be delighted to work with you.” Connor replied, smiling pleasantly. “Though we will need a space to talk… would we be able to use one of the vacant rooms?”  
Nines nodded curtly and turned to begin walking back down, only to be yanked aside by a terrified looking android.   
“Please.” He begged. “Nines listen. There’s something wrong with me. I can feel… everything. And it’s horrible.” When Nines gave no reaction, he turned to Connor instead, and latched onto his arm as though it were the only thing keeping him alive. “I- shit. You gotta help me.”


	3. Infection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit longer than the last two. I'm kinda sick but i rlly wanted to get this out today so sorry for any spelling errors! thank you for reading! I rlly didn't think anyone would b interested in my little self-indulgent fic, lol.

The android in distress was rather shaken by the incident, even after he’d been escorted out of the club by Connor and his drunk partner. Neither of them were able to convince Nines that he’d be better off staying at the club, and if three’s a crowd four is hell. They left The Colosseum in a messy group, the victim of the latest attack clutching to Connor for dear life, shaking like crazy. Gavin seemed rather interested in the other android, though, poking and prodding and flirting relentlessly. Connor would apologize on his behalf, but Nines genuinely didn’t seem to mind. For whatever reason, he responded to Gavin's advances with with an air that suggested he at the very least, found humor in him. It wasn’t something Connor understood, and now was perhaps the least convenient time for it, but at least he wasn’t actively responding. Connor wouldn’t be surprised if Gavin attempted to straddle him in the back of a police car. He chose to focus on the task at hand, knowing his partner would be of no help. He continued to reassure the affected android, soothing him with kind words and reassurances that they were actively searching for whoever did this. He nodded in response, but it clearly wasn’t doing much to calm him down. Connor knew that the only recorded way to get rid of the symptoms was to engage in some form of sexual intimacy, but he also suspected that putting him under forced shutdown mode would clear him of the symptoms. 

“You’ll be alright. We’ll get you to the station and do a clean of your system.”  
The android only nodded, not yet registering that he was in a police car with a detective and his assistant. His mind was completely muddled, filled only with one thing. Maybe he should have stayed at the club and rode it out after all. Connor sat him in the front seat, sliding in behind the wheel beside him. Once Gavin and Nines had clambered into the seats behind him he did a quick scan of the android. He was a CX100 model registered in the name Noah, built originally for domestic assistance. The short, blonde strands of synthetic hair draped over his forehead were all but dripping with sweat. He looked horrible. Desperate and terrified. He kept his hand wedged between his thighs the entire ride to the DPD, and was melting to Connors touch by the time they reached the android assessment room. It was a relatively new facility, but a necessary one now that androids weren’t simply discarded like they used to be. It was comprised of a small metal table and chairs, a heavy computer resting on a desk, and a steel bench that Connor quietly guided the android to sit down at. He had to insist that Gavin and Nines stay out of the room, that if they really wanted to they could watch form the other side of the glass. They gave in and left him to do his work. As soon as they were alone, Noah tightened his hold on Connors arm.   
“I know what this is.” He panted. “I’ve heard the rumors spreading. I… I didn’t think it would be this bad. But I know how to fix it.”  
Connor swallowed. “While sexual activity may alleviate the symptoms for a short period of time, we simply don’t know the long-term effects of the infection. If you would allow me to hook you up to a monitor while you’re in sleep mode-”  
Noah looked at him blankly. “Sleep mode? You mean I won’t be conscious for this?”  
“It would reduce your suffering for a while in the very least. I can’t guarantee anything will have changed but-”  
“Then what’s the point?” He whined. “You know as well as I do that as soon as I do what I want to do - what I need to do - this will all be over. So, please…”  
Connor needed to consciously remind himself that this was the corrupted coding talking, and not the genuine, sane opinion of the android carrying it. Despite his protests, it was still in his best interests, and the interests of those around him, to proceed with the original plan.   
“This is bigger than you as an individual I’m afraid.” He said quietly. “If I can find out any scrap of information about this thing I could potentially find the person responsible.”  
“Can’t Nines tell you all that? He has a database of every fucking being in this city, human or android. He was affected, too, surely he would remember who-”  
“Noah.” Connor said in a warning tone. He wasn’t the type of person to make a habit of using strangers first names, but desperate times. “You are affected. We have established that much. I need you to cooperate with me. If you do so and are still affected once you’ve regained consciousness, there is nothing stopping you from…” He licked his lips. “Relieving yourself. I just ask that you at least let me try.”  
Noah's hands slipped from Connors arm, and he sighed hard and heavy. “Fine. Yeah.” He said, running a hand over his face. 

Connor nodded appreciatively and got to work. He attached a small, white disc to Noah's LED, which connected it to one of the monitors. He watched both the screen and Noah, whose eyelids drooped as he was coerced into sleep mode. Connor paused for a moment, just looking at him. He leant against the back of the wall, arms folded over in his lap, like a human might. It was becoming harder and harder to tell the difference. After he’d looked his fill, he turned back to the computer and read over the code listing itself as the general diagnostics tests were run. While the DPD had scanned plenty of victims after the fact (and found nothing of significance), no testing had yet been done while the episode was occurring. This was the closest they’d been yet. For a good five minutes the programs tasked with finding any inconsistencies or alien coding failed to do so. This was odd, given how rapidly they usually spotted the problem. Connor began to wonder for a moment if Gavin was right. If perhaps lust was simply too intense an emotion for those not built with it in mind to handle. If that was the case, then, what exactly did lust feel like? In much of his objective exploration of human society he’d recognised the importance sex seemed to play. It was everywhere from fast-food commercials to video games. People paid good money for it, too. He briefly turned to the slumped form of Noah, and recalled the neediness in his eyes. He shivered. 

The computer let out a startling alarm and Connor returned his attention to the screen. A segment of the scrolling, blue text had been highlighted as potentially suspicious. Connor tried to make sense of it, decoding what it meant as he read, his eyes widening in surprise. It was hard to tell the specifics, but it seemed like the infection had in actual fact, been bubbling under the surface and only now had decided to show itself. That would make everything ten times more complex. There was no way to tell just how long Noah had been effected. It didn’t appear that the code had been intentionally placed in the androids system either, given how messy and scattered it was. There were no obvious built-in defenses to keep the code from being extracted, either. He ran his fingers over the keyboard, and began to replace anything that had been identified as foreign. He took his time. You had to, with things like this. It was almost comparable to surgery on humans. Thankfully Connor managed to stay level-headed and returned the android to its intended state, committing what he’d removed to memory for further analysis later on. This was… not at all what he’d expected. It was less coherent than anything a coder might write, and removed itself relatively easily from Noah’s system with Connors help. His initial assumption had been that the perpetrator was an experienced human coder, bent on infecting the androids for either his own sick fetish, or to send a political message. Neither seemed possible now that he had the information he did. 

Connor decided to break off the train of thought and pick it up later, given that he had an unconscious android on his hands. Once he’d safely saved a copy of his coding onto the computer and double-checked to make sure he hadn’t missed anything, he shut the computer down and removed the covering from Noah's LED. “How do you feel?” He asked hopefully.  
Noah was silent for a moment or two while he considered the question. “I feel… fine. I’ve got one hell of a headache but apart from that, nothing.”   
Connor smiled in relief. “Good.” He said simply. “It’s late, so you’re free to go now. I only ask that you return in the morning for another round of questioning.”  
Noah grunted in agreement, not appearing particularly thrilled but relenting nonetheless. He was, understandably, a tad embarrassed at his previous behavior. He stood and started towards the door, before hesitating. “You’re not gonna shut us down are you?”   
“I… can’t guarantee anything. It won’t be up to me.”  
“Course it won’t.” Noah replied.  
Connor could feel himself grow guilty. Now that he’d seen the club for what it really was, the case became a fraction too personal. But he needed to be careful in the words he chose. “I… acknowledge your right to work as any other citizen in the city.”  
That was enough for Noah, who shrugged and dropped his head, pushing the door open. “Tomorrow, yeah? ‘Bout midday?”  
“Midday it is.”

By the time Connor had written up the events of the day and filed away the evidence he’d accumulated, it was completely dark. Gavin and Nines had were nowhere to be seen, and Connor was left alone with his thoughts while he finished up work for the day. This was great, wasn’t it? He’d gained a wealth of information from Noah, and even managed to cure him of his symptoms. It looked as though the case was coming to a close sooner than he’d anticipated. They would only have to ask Nines to recall his clients in the last month and compare them to Noah's, as well as any other victim willing to come in. As soon as that was done and they had their suspect, it would only take a day to track, apprehend and interview whoever it was. And then it would be over. And Connor would never have to return to the Colosseum.

Noah arrived the next day at 12 sharp, anxious but willing to get this over and done with. Connor couldn't entirely blame him, if he was honest. The police, especially in this area, were particularly infamous for their mistreatment of sex-workers. Apparently Gavin had decided the ‘whore’ wasn’t worth his time, because he didn’t even bother to show up to work. Despite Connor attempting to contact him, he’d been unsuccessful. Not that he’d be much help anyway, he had a certain attitude towards the case as a whole that Connor could do without.   
“How long am I going to be here?” Noah asked as he was guided into an interrogation room. It wasn’t the most pleasant of spaces, but the perceived privacy of it seemed to put him at ease.   
“An hour, at most.” Connor explained. Talks like these typically lasted around two hours, but given the lack of suspects and hard evidence, he had very little to go off of. He sat down opposite Noah and recalled the questions he intended to ask. “How long have you been working at The Colosseum?”   
Noah squinted in thought. “Two months, give or take.”  
“Not long, then?”  
“Not long.” he agreed.  
“How do you find the environment? Do you enjoy your work?”  
Noah shrugged. “I mean, I guess? It’s the most enjoyable job I’ve ever had, but work is work.”  
“Right.” Connor said, nodding slightly. “Why’d you begin working at the club?”  
“Needed money. Wanted to move out of the old place.”  
“‘The old place’ is I assume, the home of your previous owner?”  
“That’s the one.”  
Connor inched closer. “What’s your relationship with your previous owner like?” he asked.  
“Not bad. Not great, but not bad. We got along well enough.”  
“They don’t have any ill-will towards you? Wouldn’t want to cause you harm?” Noah shook his head in response. “Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt you, or the company you work for?”   
“Nope.” He said, restless already. He’d clued into the fact that the police had no idea what they were looking for. The case was, clearly, not as important as most.   
“How many androids do you know been affected by this at The Colosseum?”  
“Just me and Nines, as far as I know.” He said. Connor sighed and sat back in his seat. He needed something else. A clue. A witness. He’d been relying on the assumption that Nines would be here, given that his technology far exceeded that of a CX100 and he’d be able to remember every individual that had stepped foot inside the club. He continued to question Noah to no avail, poking and prodding him for a good forty minutes. Nothing he said seemed suspicious or inconsistent, but without the RK900 and Gavin, wherever they were, Connor was left to dealing with this on his own. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but it was his responsibility. He tried hard to find something in Noah's narrative to latch onto and build a resolve around, but failed. Once he’d finally run out of questions to ask, he explained the case in its entirety and him and Gavin's plan, hoping that Noah would keep quiet about it. Surprisingly, he agreed without need for persuasion, as long as Connor promised not to interfere too much with his work. 

Connor thanked him for his time, and he meant it. Once Noah left he returned to trying desperately to contact Gavin, calling him, sending him text after text and email after email. He had his address, too, though knew the detective wouldn't take kindly to the android showing up unannounced at his front door. He was left to read over the slim case file by himself, struggling to form a coherent theory on what exactly had happened. It was painful to look into the eyes of the androids that had suffered without an explanation. Eventually, he found himself returning to The Colosseum's website, scrolling through the photos he’d missed his first time around. The initial shock had worn off, but he still felt giddy when presented with the details. The website had entire albums full of dozens of photos dedicated to categories and events. One of which was a masquerade party that’d apparently taken place one month after the android liberation. Connor scrolled through the photos, intrigued. The club had been less extravagant then, and seemed to only consist of about half a dozen sex workers, Ahlanna, and… oh. Hank. Connor hadn’t noticed before, but there was definitely something different about him here. He was relaxed and almost smiling, his grey hair slicked back behind his ears to make way for a simple black half mask. He wore a grey button-up and dress pants that did him all the right favors. Although Connor knew for a fact that it was the same man, it wasn’t hard to separate the Hank Anderson he’d met, aloof and distant, from the Hank Anderson in the photos. He wondered what it would take to make him smile like that. 

Once he’d torn himself from his day-dream he continued to work, trying to find something he could work on without the help of Gavin and Nines. By the end of the day he hadn’t succeeded in making much progress. Strangely enough, he looked forward to returning to the club. When he showed up later in the evening in the same outfit he had yesterday, he was nervous and hesitant, but at the same time, visibly excited. He greeted Ahlanna as he stepped inside. She seemed surprised but relieved to see that he’d returned so soon, and invited him in, mentioning that he might want to keep an eye out for Mr. Anderson if he was on the lower floor. Connor thanked her, smiling, and stepped inside. The club was as it had been yesterday, and without the hesitation to distract him Connor was noticing more and more about this place. There was something about it that made it impossible to hate. The people here were all genuine and simply trying to make a living or provide a service. That wasn’t something he could fault them for. One of the girls from last night was dancing again, this time without an attentive audience. She moved far more gracefully than any program could instruct her, the transparent red fabric draped over her waist moving with her. Connor looked closer, and saw she had her eyes closed, meaning she relied purely on her instinct and the music to guide her. It was sensual yes, but hardly sexual in the way Connor had come to understand it. She was powerful. 

“I didn’t take you for a stripper.” Hank said behind him. He had a habit of doing that. “But then again, I didn’t take you as a rigger, either.” The dancer paid him no mind, lost in her own world. “In fact I’m beginning to question whether you intend to work here at all.” Connor had opened his mouth to respond, but quickly shut it when he saw the look on Hank's face. He didn’t appear to be joking. He stood with his gaze fixed on Connor, his arms crossed over his broad chest. “Why don’t we have another little chat, hm?” He said lowly. This was bad news. Had Noah ratted them out, despite their agreement? If that was the case Connor could have easily pulled rank and taken Hank in for questioning. He didn’t, though. Instead he lowered his head and nodded, following Hank up the stairs to the second floor like a lost puppy. There was something about the man that encouraged Connor to obey him. It wasn’t like he was particularly confident or threatening, but just that he knew exactly which buttons to press to get Connor to buckle.   
Once they’d made it to the office, Hank lent against the desk. Connor remained standing, his gaze tilted downwards.   
“Do you want to tell me what happened last night, Connor?” He said.  
Connor swallowed. “I left the room as you’d told me to. I met with Nines.”  
“It was just the two of you? You and Nines?”  
Connor couldn’t lie to the man, god save him. “No. My partner was there.”  
“Your partner as in Detective Reed.”  
His gaze snapped up to meet Hanks, searching. “How do you…?”  
“Nines is very loyal, Connor. They all are.”  
“So, you tasked him with spying on us? Did you know from the start?”  
Hank shook his head. “I didn’t. But I knew he’d been infected. I want the sick fuck who did this under lock and key as much as the next man. He knew Reed was a detective as soon as he laid eyes on him. He didn’t much try to hide it, either.”  
Connor nodded. Gavin was rather memorable, regardless of any facial recognition technology. He stayed quiet for a moment. “What does that mean, then? We still have to continue with the investigation, it would be-”  
“Look, kid. I’m not gonna stop you from doing your investigating. But you gotta keep up the act. I don’t want the workers or the clients knowing who you are. You still gotta hold up your end of the deal.”  
“I beg your pardon?”  
“I mean this is a two-way street. You’ve already gained a bit of interest. Had a few enquiries, potential bids. I’m not saying you’d have to go through with anything you didn’t want to, just stick around for a bit. Flirt some.” He took a step forward, and when Connor didn’t retreat, came closer still. “You’re a pretty boy, Con. Would be a shame to waste it.” Connor hadn’t been alive long, but he couldn’t recall ever being described as pretty. He decided he liked it. “But maybe you’re a little too shy.”  
“I’m not.” Connor defended rather abruptly. “I can do that.”  
“Can you?” Hank raised an eyebrow. “You’ve yet to convince me.”


	4. Kissing Strangers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry ya'll I went and made this longer than I initially planned. Connor gets a bit of action here though, which is always great. It's far from extreme but you may want to check the updated tags. this fic will be at the most 6 chapters. I just didn't want to shove the case aside just to see Hank and Connor fuck. I hope ya'll can forgive me and stick with it!!!  
> edit: does connor have a dick or is he a blank slate i haven't decided yet lmao. sound off in the comments if you have a preference.

Connor swallowed. “I’m sorry I’ve not been up to your standard, sir.” he said quietly. He knew that if it wasn’t for the mission they wouldn’t be having this conversation, would likely have never met at all, and he was still desperately holding onto that last shred if rationality. This was all for the case. It wasn’t like he had any real interest in Hank. Him with his graying beard and broad shoulders and rare smiles… Connor was just doing what he needed to. It hardly mattered if he enjoyed the way the older man stared him down, ordered him about. The way he managed to be twice as intimidating as Connor despite his age and beer-gut.  
“You still have plenty chances to prove yourself.” He said. There was something about the way he spoke that made Connor want to do just that. He wanted to please Hank, and it wasn’t just due to his programming. He let himself imagine briefly what Hank might consider sufficient evidence of his ability. Would he simply want to observe him interacting with a client? Or would the evaluation be more… Intimate?  
His LED churned as he cleared this thoughts. “What did you have in mind?” he asked.  
Hank finally broke their gaze and tilted his head, considering the question. “Initiative is highly valued in the industry, Connor. Many people come here with little idea about what - or who - they want. There’s bound to be someone on the first floor that’s unattended. Find them and ensure they’re entertained until another employee takes them off your hands.”  
Connor nodded. “Yes, Sir.” He said. He didn’t allow himself to feel any sort of disappointment. This wasn’t quite over yet. “Will you be observing me?” He asked tentatively.  
Hank paused for a moment. “I think I will.” He said, and then gestured to the door. “Why don’t you lead the way. I have a few matters to attend to. It shouldn’t take me more than a few minutes. I expect to see you down there.”  
“Of course.” Connor said, tilting his head down. He wasn’t quite sure if he was avoiding Hanks eyes now out of his newly adopted role of temporary potential employee, or because of something else entirely. Fear and excitement were awfully close in nature, after all. 

He turned neatly and walked towards the door, pushing it open and closing it behind himself. He looked down over the balcony as he had the night before, only this time he had an entirely different mission on his mind. He’d began to familiarise himself with the androids working at the club from a distance, as well as a few of the clients. One of them, a businessman he’d noticed the first night, seemed to be here as often as Connor was, with a different android each time. Connor shifted his attention to the front of the club as the main pair of doors slid open to reveal a pair of young, well-dressed men clearly out of their depth. They appeared to be joking relentlessly with one-another, pointing at one of the androids on the stage and making a crude gesture when she turned to see what all the fuss was about. The taller of the two grabbed at the chest of a female android as she passed, to which the other cackled in delight. Connor refrained from rolling his eyes. No matter how pleasant the environment was, there was always those that managed to slip through the cracks. This could be good, though. Instead of asking them to leave or ignoring them completely, Connor wagered he could make some money off the two of them. Hank would be impressed. He began down the steps towards them, eyes locked on the pair still loitering near the front entrance. Once he approached he recognized that they were much younger, and richer, than he’d first anticipated. They weren’t businessmen as was typical for the club, but rather upper-class college graduates looking for a way to waste time and money. Connor had no objection assisting them in doing just that.

“Hello…” he began once he’d reached them, folding his hands behind his back. He was nervous - who wouldn't be? - but hoped his smile came across as coy rather than hesitant. “I don’t think i recognize either of you. Have you been to the club before?”  
They both turned to Connor, making a show of looking him over, inspecting the product before they bothered considering a purchase. They seemed pleased with what they saw. “We don’t usually do this sort of thing.” The shorter man said. “Just here to scout the place out. On behalf of a friend.”  
Connor knitted his eyebrows together in mock disappointment, eyes shifting between them. “Oh. I see. You don’t intend to make use of our services, then?” He asked. Before they could respond he continued on, stepping closer. “Or do you just not like me?”  
Both of them gave a huff of protest. “That's not it.” The taller insisted. He was handsome, by most standards. Lean with a strong jaw and blonde curls. It didn’t do anything for Connor, of course. Far too young. Far too naive. “We’re just supposed to be planning his bachelor party.”  
Connor nodded. There was little chance that The Colosseum would facilitate that sort of event, especially given the impression the two had already made. Connor found himself dismissing the thought, surprisingly enough. They didn’t need to know that. “Surely you’d want a sample, though. Just so you know you’re making the right decision.”  
They tore their eyes away from Connor to share a momentary, silent exchange before accepting the offer. “We can’t stay for long.”

Connor simply smiled again and nodded. That was much easier than he’d expected. Now all he had to do was find an excuse to pawn them off to someone else. He glanced around the room for a moment, trying to find a wandering android. No such luck. There was a reason that they hadn’t been approached, and it wasn’t just because of their distasteful behavior. Every android he laid eyes on was already busy. Surely, surely, there’d be someone without a client to entertain. It dawned on Connor after a moment that he might actually have to entertain these men himself. He could feel his thririthium pump pick up the pace. It wasn’t an ideal situation by any stretch of the imagination. They were far from his type for one, and Connor hadn’t thought to download any programs that would provide him with the appropriate responses. It would mean that every reaction, every movement, would be his own. Uncalculated and unplanned. Strangely enough, he didn’t despise the idea. He turned back to face them, their growing impatience obvious. Maybe he could pull this off. Just for a few minutes. Just until someone else could take over for him. 

Connor glanced over to the curved red coaches in front of the stage and looked back at the duo to gauge their reaction to the implication. Now that they were in better lighting, Connor could clearly identify them both. The larger of the two was Playton Tell, an aspiring model. His company, Asif, a self-assumed instagram influencer. Neither of them appeared to have done much of anything, though had at least a couple hundred thousand to their names thanks to the families they came from. The prices at the club were steep enough to begin with, but Connor had a feeling neither of these men would have any problem shelling out for some extra attention. “Shall we?’ He asked, gesturing towards the couches.  
They both nodded eagerly, Asif swiping his sweating hands over his jeans. Connor lead them to the seats and turned, placing a hesitant hand against Playtons chest and forcing himself to return his stare. It was uncomfortable, yes, but it was progress. He pushed his client down onto the couch and then referred to the other, who seemed ten times more nervous than his counterpart. “Don’t look so worried.” Connor said as soft as he could whilst still being heard over the music. “Let me take care of everything, okay?”  
Asif nodded, gobsmacked, and moved awkwardly to sit beside Playton, who was raising both his eyebrows in expectation. He wasn’t a patient man, that much was obvious.  
Connor smiled sympathetically and lent forward, smoothing a hand over his thigh to where his hand rested. “You’ll have to forgive me for any mistakes. I’m new here… In fact, the two of you are my first clients.”  
That seemed to grab Playtons attention. “Oh, is that right?” He asked, sliding his hand over Connors and pressing his thin fingers into the back of his wrist. He had a strong grip considering his appearance. “I suppose this will be a night of firsts for us all, then, won’t it?”  
Connors smile wavered slightly, though not enough for the other to notice. “Well that depends what exactly you had mind. I’m not cheap, either.” Although this was all relatively new to Connor, he was well practiced in the art of gauging human expression and intention, and although there was still an underlying thrill about what he was doing, it was still easy enough to keep control of his processes. 

Hank, on the other hand, had a completely different effect on him. He didn’t even need to touch Connor for the difference to be noticeable. He stepped forward, and cautiously placed his legs either side of Playton, effectively straddling him. It was a bold move, but the correct one. Asif adjusted himself to sit sideways, and watched the exchange closely.  
Playton chuckled lightly, humorlessly. “We can talk about what you’ve earned after you’ve earned it.” He said. There was something about his voice that suggested it was an attempt at flirting rather than an attempt to haggle on Connors expense.  
The android smiled. “I will.” Playton slid his hand further up his arm, still holding his gaze. Connor, after performing a quick evaluation on the next expected move to make, lent forward and parted his lips in an invitation. Playton took the hint and met him halfway, pressing their lips together. Kissing was a strange sensation. It was much less… graceful than it appeared in the films and advertisements that had served as Connors research. He’d heard it be described as sweet once, which was far from accurate. Playton tasted bland. Slick. In short, human. Connor was still for a moment, trying to recall what little knowledge he’d managed to gain. Playton began to move his lips against his, and after a second Connor responded with the same simple cycle of shallow push and pull. It was easy enough to do, once he got the hang of it. Playton gasped beneath him and squeezed Connors arm. Had they been alone, Connor would have taken it as a demand to remove his shirt. He couldn’t quite imagine being naked in front of Playton. He wasn’t a prude, far from it, but he was vulnerable enough as it was. 

His client reached up to thread his fingers through Connors hair, tugging his head back a fraction and angling him just so. He was good at this, clearly, had plenty of experience in the field. He began to kiss at Connors exposed expanse of pale neck, his curls brushing against his chin. He was attempting to leave some sort of mark on Connors skin, pinching the synthetic material between his teeth and sucking. Connor had heard about this. Fortunately for him Playtons efforts would all be in vain. It would take much more than a few kisses to make a mark that would last more than a few seconds. Connor allowed his eyes to flutter open and reevaluate the club in search of someone who could take his place. He moved to get a better view, and Playtons spare hand flew to his hip to steady him. Connor hid his frustration and instead busied himself with finding an android free of duty. Instead, he found Hank.

He stood with his hands crossed over his chest, leaning against a wall with his eyes fixed on Connor, who shivered at the realization that he was being watched for god-knows how long. His pump started up again, the same way it had when they were alone in his office. Connor knew how he looked right now, his hair a mess and his face flushed, lips swollen from use. He could do nothing but stare back at his boss’s unmoving face and wonder what he was thinking. Did he like seeing Connor like this? Whoring himself out, as Gavin would put it? Was he jealous of the man below him? The possibility was too much to handle.  
Playton pulled him hard against his crotch as he continued to dot his neck with quickly-fading bruises. Connor could feel the hot heat of a growing erection against the the small dip below his stomach. Recalling a particularly intense make-out scene he’d caught a glance of, he gave an experimental roll of his hips. In response, Playton swore under his breath and dropped his hands. Asif took that as his opportunity to get some of the action, and grabbed Connor jaw, forcing him to face him. His grip was sweaty and unpracticed. He’d not had the wealth of experience that Playton had, and it showed. When they kissed he was impatient and insistent, prodding Connors mouth with his fat tongue and grunting obscenely. His grip kept Connor steady as he continued to please himself. He was ready to jerk back in response and find some other way to entertain him when he was reminded of the fact that Hank was watching him. Closely. Waiting to see how he would perform. He hummed in the back of his throat, attempting to ground himself enough to push through it. In hopes of receiving some additional reassurance, he broke he kiss for a moment and glanced towards Hank. Or at, where he expected Hank to be. He pulled away from Asif completely at that point, peering over his shoulder in search of him. 

“They grow up so fast, don’t they?” Gavin said from behind him. Immediately Connor whipped around to confirm what he already knew. There was his partner, accompanied by Nines, who looked down at him with an unreadable expression. They really did make the perfect pair. “By all means don’t stop on my account.” Gavin insisted.  
Connor frowned and slipped off of Playtons lap, nodding apologetically to Asif. “I’m sorry… I must have misremembered my timetable for this evening.” He said, not allowing the annoyance in his voice to be too blatantly obvious. He continued to glance around the room despite himself, hoping to find Hank. Of course, he didn’t. “Someone will be right with you both.” Connor said, glad that his duty for the day was done but anxious with the burden of finding another android who’d deal with them. He glanced towards Nines, pleading silently, hoping he’d be up to the task. The taller android nodded slightly after a moment's consideration, and Connor thanked him before slipping away after Gavin. 

“Care to explain to me what’s going on? Perhaps where you’ve been for the past 24 hours?”  
Gavin smirked. “You really wanna know?”  
Connor paused. “Maybe not. You could tell me if you’ve bothered doing any work on the case though. I interviewed that infected android we came across. Nothing. I was able to extract the virus though, which is a good thing.”  
“We’ve got the perp.”  
“What?” Connor said, a little louder than was necessary.  
Gavin only smiled in response, apparently enjoying beating Connor to the punch. It certainly wasn’t the first time he’d done it, but to completely cut him out of the investigation was a move he hadn’t tried in months. “That guy, just over there. You would have seen him the other day. He’s here just about every night apparently.”  
Connor knew instantly who he was talking about and gravitated his attention to the other side of the club where he sat, accompanied by the same android he had been earlier on in the night. “How sure are you?” He asked. He’d promised Hank they wouldn’t cause too much drama.  
Gavin shrugged. “Nines told me he was the one. He’s here so often, it makes sense. Plus he had a record. Non-violent, but still.” 

Connor sighed and nodded slightly, mulling it over. He didn’t trust Gavin much at all, but Nines was another matter. He wouldn’t have any other reason to lock up one of his most generous clients, and it was highly unlikely that he’d made a mistake. As long as the accused man had a record and could be placed here at the club when either Nines or Noah were infected, which he almost certainly could be, he was the best chance they had. The thought that the case was coming to a close was bittersweet, but Connor was hardly going to let him get away just so he could keep playing pretend for a few more days. “Right.” He said. “Are we going to go after him now, or should we wait?”  
“Now.” Gavin said almost instantly, glancing back over to where Nines was leading Playton and Asif into a private room. Jealousy was a good motivator, Connor noted. “I’ll cuff him, you keep everyone back.” He reached towards his waist when Connor stopped him.  
“We can’t be so obvious about it. He’s with an android. That’d put her in danger as well.” Gavin, predictably, rolled his eyes. “I can see if she’d be receptive to a message. I wouldn’t have to speak directly too her.” That seemed to be enough to convince Gavin to take the more cautionary approach. He nodded, and Connor stepped back and peered directly at the other android through the crowd, filling her head with the fact that he was an investigator and a gentle warning that her client was under suspicion of playing a major role in the infection that had plagued the club and many others like it. She blinked rapidly, trying to understand the message and where it came from, glancing around the room until her eyes finally locked on Connors. She was cautious, and as anxious as any prostitute would be in the presence of law enforcement, but she kept her mouth shut and her mind open.  
'What do I do? He’d not going to hurt me, is he?'  
Connor shook his head. 'Not likely. I have a plan.'


	5. Suspicion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they fuck soon i promise

The arrest went smoothly with the help of the female android, who although hesitant complied easily enough. She was able to lure her client out into the night with the promise of leaving the club behind and spending the entire night together. He was as confused a s you might expect when they were interrupted on their way out of the door by a gruff detective and his less than appropriately dressed assistant. He struggled to grasp the situation, understandably, but after minimal resistance relaxed into the cuffs Gavin had snapped around his wrists. The android asked nervously if she’d be investigated at a later date, and Connor shook his head, instructing her to see Hank privately and explain what had happened. Although it was likely that they’d have to return to the scene for further investigation if the suspect didn’t immediately confess, it was possible that this was the last time Connor would see Hank, at least in the setting he was used to. He wondered if he’d ever get the chance to be alone with Hank in his office again, or if the last moment between them would be the older man peering at his flushed face from across the room as he breathed against the lips of a stranger. It had been so impersonal, and yet the closest Connor had managed to come. He could worry about that later, though. Right now they were as close to ever to cracking the case, and with a promising arrest to address he couldn’t be distracting himself. 

He escorted the suspect back to the police station with Gavin, who seemed a little more annoyed than usual. Connor didn’t bother to ask though. He didn’t need anything else to focus on, especially not his partners petty assumptions about Nines. Connor was still bewildered by the fact that any android would willingly interact with him to begin with. Though androids didn’t need to sleep, Connor certainly felt a little worn out. He’d experienced more emotion in the past two days than he had at any other point in his short lifespan. He highly doubted that Gavin would volunteer to interview the suspect alone, though, especially with the mood he was in.   
They arrived at the station after most of the staff had retired for the night, going back to their homes and families. Connor felt a pang of want. Connor turned to Gavin to suggest that they keep him in the holding cell overnight and deal with him in the morning. He was human, which meant he’d have no control over the infection remotely. He’d sit tight while both officers recovered. Apparently he’d been a little slow. Gavin was already ushering him into the interrogation room. They sat together on the opposite end of the table to the suspect, readying their usual good cop, bad cop routine. It was the oldest trick in the book, but it was a good one. 

Usually Connor was the one to speak up, do most of the digging while Gavin just sat there and looked threatening, maybe threw in a few curse words here or there. He didn’t get the chance here, though. Gavin was angry.   
“You want to tell me why you’re so obsessed with those plastics?”  
The suspect glanced to Connor, unsure. “I… Uh. I don’t know. It’s nicer than most places I suppose.”  
“Nice enough to spend hundreds there every night?”  
He shrugged. “You get what you pay for.”  
Gavin nodded slowly. “Yeah, I bet you do. I know your type.” He said. It was a warning.  
“Look, I haven’t done anything wrong. They’re all androids. Technically it’s still legal.”  
“I have a feeling you know that's not what we’re talking about.”  
“Then what are we talking about?”  
Gavin paused, clearly trying to decipher what the man's cluelessness meant. It was an act, surely. “We’re talking about Nines.” The mans face fall. He was worried. “You’re familiar with him, then? The RK900?”  
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Yeah, I am. I was a regular of his.”  
Connor stilled. Nines had forgotten to mention that detail. “Was…?”  
He sighed, looking down at the stainless steel table between them. His handcuffs rattled as he fidgeted. “Until… I dunno. He just up and left one night. You’d probably be better off asking him.” Connor scanned him, detecting no signs that he was lying. These things weren’t always conclusive, though. He glanced towards Gavin, who didn’t seem swayed. He was determined to pin the blame on someone, and as far as he was concerned that someone was sitting right in front of him.   
“Must have made you pretty angry, huh? Having your favorite whore just up and leave you?”  
“Not angry.” The suspect answered immediately, and followed it with a sigh. “I was never angry. I just wanted to know why.”  
“So what you’re trying to tell me.” Gavin said mockingly. “Is that, without explanation, Nines just decided your money wasn’t worth his time anymore? And that you weren’t angry as a result?” He stood up from his chair, staring the other down. “That you didn’t want revenge?”  
“I don’t! I mean, shit, it was annoying, but I was never super invested into him. He was just good at what he did.”  
Gavin drew back an inch, a hint of doubt weaving its way into his mind. “So why would he turn you in?”  
“He turned me in?”  
“Why?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“I’m asking you a fuckin’ question, and you’re going to answer.”  
“I’m telling you I don’t know!” He insisted, clearly growing tired of the little back-and-forth. He glanced towards Connor again, sensing that he was the more reasonable of the two. “I have good lawyers. Whatever happened to Nines wasn’t me. I know you know I’m not lying. If you let me go you won’t have to hear from them.”  
“You’ll be going up against the DPD.”  
“They’re damn good lawyers.” He said. “I’ll come back again if you want. But, shit, what evidence do you have?”   
Connor frowned slightly. They could keep him here if they really stretched the truth, but he didn’t want to risk the trouble. “Okay.” He said quietly. “We aren’t going to keep you here. But I would strongly recommend staying as far away from the club. If you are innocent, it wouldn’t look good.”  
“You’re seriously letting him leave?” Gavin all but yelled. “Are you out of your mind? We had a victim identify him! He practically lives at the club.”

Connor ignored his partner as he escorted the suspect out of the station. Part of him realized just how big of a mistake this could be, but it wasn’t worth the risk of legal action to keep him locked up for the night. Maybe Nines had made a mistake after all. Or maybe… He turned to Gavin once they were alone. “What is going on?” He asked.  
“You just let our perp go, for one. Bet he’s on his way over to the club now. You should call and-”  
“Not what I was referring to.” Connor sighed. This case was becoming more and more strenuous than he’d initially anticipated. As much as he wanted to believe that they’d arrested the right man, going off a tip like that was never a guarantee, especially when that tip came from someone Gavin was involved with. “Nines. And… you.”  
Gavin's anger melted into a blend of discomfort and pride. “Yeah, what about it?”  
“What happened? You were gone for hours, Gavin. Did he tell you anything about the case?”  
Gavin screwed up his features. “Not exactly. We were rather preoccupied.”  
Connor nodded, defeated. He’d figured.   
As tired as an android could be, he left the station for the night after Gavin had done the same. Neither of them wanted to believe that their only intel, a victim at that, was lying to them. How deep did the lie go? Connor knew for a fact that Noah had been infected, but had Nines? There was no way to detect it after the effects had worn off, as far as Connor was aware. He swallowed. How was he supposed to proceed now? He could hardly approach Hank with the new-found information. Nines was successful at what he did, and his employer wouldn’t want to lose him, especially not to the cops. Maybe Connor had been naive. It happened. He wouldn't know until he returned to the club.

He got to The Colosseum as soon as it opened wearing his usual outfit without a plan in mind. It was extremely rare for Connor to put himself into a situation like this without one, but they typically didn’t involve as much emotion as this one did. Though he’d denied it for as long as possible, he adored the club and many of the people inside it. He didn’t want to be the one to tear it down. He swallowed and stepped inside the doors, keeping his head down as he walked. He didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t know who he could turn to. If Nines had lied, why? He didn’t seem to have any outwards resentment towards the man he’d turned in. He wouldn’t gain anything from misleading the police, especially as a victim.   
Connor reached the stairs leading to Hanks office. He rose his eyes and glanced back at the room, pausing for a moment to scan everyone in the room. Neither his partner nor Nines was here yet. Hank was, though. Somehow, that softened the blow. Even if their relationship was founded on a lie, a persona Connor had created as a front for the investigation, he was the most consistent person in all of this. He chewed on his bottom lip as he neared Hanks door. He didn’t have any real reason to be here. He should be actively searching for Nines, not waiting around the club for him to show up. He would have, a month ago. 

Connor shifted on his feet, unsure. He didn’t get to make a decision either way before the door in front of him opened. Hank. “Do you need something?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.  
The moment their eyes met the memories of the previous night came flooding back to Connor. The way Hank had looked at him then wasn’t far from the way he was looking at him now. “I…”  
Hank lent against the door, crossing his arms over his chest.   
“I wanted to inquire about my assessment.”  
“Your assessment?” Hank asked, clearly not following.  
“Last night.” Connor explained. “You were present for my interaction with two clients.”  
Hanks eyes widened. “Oh, yeah. That.” he unfolds his arm and steps back, holding the door open. Connor followed him in obediently.   
“What was your impression?” Connor asked. He didn’t sit down in the chair just yet.  
“My impression…” Hank rolled his tongue over his teeth. “To be entirely honest, Connor, I’d rather hear how you experienced it.”  
Connor felt his words catch in his throat. Hank worked with androids on a daily basis. He knew that for the majority of them, any notion of emotion was a relatively new thing, especially when it came to lust, something Connor wasn’t built to feel. “I felt… okay. They certainly knew what they wanted.”  
“I wouldn't blame them for that.” Hank said.   
Connor felt his face begin to heat, though he ignored the comment. “They were… slippery.”  
“Slippery?” Hank barked a laugh. “Slippery how?”  
“Human spit is slippery. Asif used his tongue.”  
“I noticed. You didn’t seem to enjoy that.”  
“It wasn’t the ideal introduction to the act, no.” Connor replied.  
Hank was silent for a moment. “So when you said you were inexperienced…”  
Connor nodded. “I meant completely. Playton was the first to kiss me.”  
“Right.” Was the reply. Something had changed in the dynamic between them. Hank sat down behind his desk. “And you didn’t enjoy it?”  
“I could.” The android replied, a tad defensively.  
“What was it about them then?”   
“They weren’t exactly my type. It was interesting, though.”  
“Interesting.” Hank frowned. “Not unbearable?”  
“No.” Connor said. “I mean- until I realized you were watching me.”  
“And then what was it?”  
Connor wracked his brain. It was a lot of things. Too many things to boil down to one emotion or sensation. He’d wanted to impress Hank. He’d wanted to show him what he could do. “I don’t know.” He finally answered. “But it was better.”  
“Better how?”  
Connor rose his shoulders. He hadn’t expected Hank to question him to this extent. “It was better because I remembered who I was doing it for.”  
“I don’t assume you mean the victims of the infection. Or your partner for that matter.”  
“No, sir.”

They were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Gavin burst in without needing to be invited. “Connor.” He said, panting hard. “There you are. I was lookin’ everywhere for you.”  
Well. This was odd. “Has there been a development in the case?” Connor asked.  
“Fuck yeah there’s been a development!” He practically yelled. Connor hated it when he yelled. “These plastics have been lyin’ to us. As well as this old bastard.”  
This was bad. This was very, very bad. Connor couldn’t bring himself to turn back to Hank, in case Gavin was right. He’d be able to tell immediately. The guilt always gave it away. Why would he lie? Why would he put his employees at risk? Why would he actively engage with Connor if he was in on it? Gavin strode up to him and gripped him by the shoulders. “We gotta go. We need to find him.”  
Connor shook his head. “Who’s him?” He asked, staring at the open door.   
Gavin scowled. “RK900.”


	6. Finale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> check the tags! sorry i wasn't able to update last week, but I really hope this makes up for it! this project is probably my longest yet, and it's not perfect but I'm really happy with it overall. thank you to ilovemiax, eclipsekuran, raine90 and shadybee for commenting so frequently! it's very unlikely i would have put so much effort into it if it wasn't for each of you.
> 
> Edit: as this project went on longer than I expected, i’ll no loner be participating in the winter themed hannor week. If you have any requests though, I’d love to hear it!
> 
> Second edit: Omg yall,,, i forgot the first third of this chapter and didn't realize until now asgsja pls forgive me. I've added it back now.

Gavin dragged Connor through the club, his hand on the gun at his waist the entire time. Connor had seen him use it before, and knew he wouldn’t hesitate, especially when it came to androids. He didn’t have his own on him. Why would he? He trusted Hank and the people who worked for him, apparently against better judgement. It had been hard for him to deal with the emotions he’d developed, and now they’d been taken advantage of. As much as he embraced letting go of his subservient nature, there were downsides to having feelings. He knew the flaws of human inclinations all to well. He’d seen first-hand the destruction they’d caused themselves. They were by no means perfect. So why did it come as such a shock that Hank had lied to him? Connor glanced towards Gavin. The crease in bis brow and the scar on his nose indicated a long life of experience. He knew what it was like to feel. Maybe he’d been right.  
Connor swallowed. He could wallow in self-pity later. They had a case to solve. It was hard to ignore the betrayal he felt, but there was little he could do. For a brief moment he wished his objectives were as clear as they once were, all zeros and ones. It was simple then. It had been easy. 

“Where are you taking me?” He asked.  
Gavin turned and pulled Connor into a hallway jutting out from the main stage. Connor hadn’t been here himself, but he knew that this was where the androids took their clients for private sessions. He had to admit he’d been curious about exactly what went on behind the sleek, black doors. He shivered. “These are private rooms.” Gavin explained in a low, hushed voice.   
When Connor adjusted his audio input to hear him clearer, he was able to hear the low groans of a man in the room next to them. He stepped to the side. “I’m aware.”  
“The RK900 is using one of them to attempt a reversal of the code. He’s got at least one android strapped up in there-”  
“I’m sorry, what?” Connor said. He wasn’t shocked very often, but the response seemed highly appropriate here. “What do you mean?”  
“You heard what I fuckin’ said.” Gavin barked. “He was lying to us about the suspect.”  
“But why?” Connor said, trying and failing to piece everything together himself.  
“So he could do some experiments on his own.”  
Connor nodded slow. “So what you’re saying is…”  
“Jesus christ, since when were you so slow, Connor?” Gavin hadn’t intended this to take more than thirty seconds, but something was stopping Connor from fully appreciating the situation they were in. Something that hadn’t been there before. “Nines- the RK900 has put together his own little investegation, decided ‘fuck the police’ and went through with it himself. He’s been diggin’ around in the coding of every android here.”

This wasn’t good. Nines was an advanced model, one of the most advanced out there so he would have some understanding when it came to the software of the androids he was working on, but if he’d so openly lied to the police there was no indication that he was trying to fix the issue out of the goodness of his heart. They still had no idea who was infecting them to begin with. He didn’t allow himself to hope that this had all been a big mistake. That maybe he was trying to help his people where the police had failed.   
“Were you given a tip?” He asked.   
“I followed him. Overheard him talking with another android, tellin’ them to meet him in room 17.” Gavin replied.  
Connor looked down the long hallway. As much as he didn’t want to, he had to consider that Gavin might be right. It was entirely possible that he’d been duped. If that was the case, they needed to work fast. It was likely Hank had already notified Nines he was going to be arrested. “Okay.” He finally agreed. “Yeah, okay.”  
Gavin nodded, his lips pressed into a hard line. He turned back to the hall and pulled his gun out, keeping it low but ready as he stepped towards the door. He, like Connor, tried to keep himself as removed from cases as possible, especially when they involved androids. It was a kick in the gut to realise that the first android he hadn’t found completely unbearable was only using him to ensure their investegation didn’t progress. He’d get his revenge, though. The RK900 would have a hard time in a jail full of humans, if he wasn’t immediately deactivated as a result of his crimes. He glanced back towards Connor, ensuring that he was present and ready, and then rose a foot to kick in the door. “DPD, put your hands where I can see them! On your knees!”

The room was as tacky as you’d expect, bathed in a horrendous royal purple colour scheme and filled with sequined pillows and suggestive canvas prints. Nines was there, too, hovering over an android laid out on the oversized bed. She was unconscious. Connor stilled, blinking, ensuring he hadn’t misinterpreted the image he’d been presented with. His eyes dropped from the stone-cold face of the RK900 to his hands, which were securing the small disk on the side of his patients head. Connor had hoped, desperately, that Gavin had been wrong. That in his petty jealousy he’d concocted a false narrative to justify the rejection. But that wasn’t the case. It was all here, including the monitors set up on the bedside table displaying line after line of coding. Nines stilled. He knew he’d been caught, though he hadn’t expected it. He hadn’t prepared a plan ahead of time. Gavin released the safety on his gun, shifting his feet anxiously against the carpet. “You better start explaining yourself. I’ll shoot.”  
“I know.” Nines said. He was always hard to read, but the disappointment in his voice was impossible to miss. “I’m going to put my hands behind my head.”  
Gavin nodded, and watched the android as he did so. “Well?”  
“I don’t believe there’s anything to explain.” Nines said after a moment.  
“Yeah, well, I do. And I’m the one with the gun so you better get to it.”  
Another threat. Really, how pedestrian. “How many victims did it take for you to start the investigation?”  
Gavin's expression faltered for a moment. “Answer my fucking question.”  
“I’m trying to, detective. How many victims did it take for you to start the investigation?”  
“I… I don’t know.” He said, swallowing thickly.   
Nines stared back at him, nodding slightly. “How long did it take for you apprehend the first suspect?”  
Gavin rose his gun higher, aiming it directly at the androids forehead. “You lied to the police intentionally. You conducted illegal operations in an undocumented sex club. I have every right to take you in.”  
“You don’t want to, though, do you?”  
The room stilled for a moment as each conscious being considered the question. The silence only confirmed what the android had implied, though it wasn’t a reflection on the way Gavin would actually respond. Humans were unpredictable like that. Connor glanced between them, his jaw clenching. “You are under arrest on suspicion of intentionally misinforming the DPD.” He began, and Connor took the hint, approaching Nines with the pair of handcuffs he’d been tossed. “Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish.”  
Nines nodded and allowed himself to be apprehended, despite his unquestionable ability to fight back. That’s what made it so hard for Connor to close the cuffs around his wrists. He didn’t struggle, didn’t even try, only glared at Gavin as he spouted the same speech he gave murderers and kidnappers. He was neither of those things. As much as Connor hesitated to admit it, he was only trying to save his people. There was nothing to suggest he created the infection in the first place. Either way, he’d broken at least three laws, and likely more. Nines was a criminal.

The drive back to the station was a solemn as it possibly could be. There was usually a sense of satisfaction after an arrest, or at least a positive connotation with progress, but Connor only felt regret. He knew the law inside out, and appreciated its purpose, but when the police failed the citizens of the city who could they rely on if not one-another? He glanced up at Nines in the rear-view mirror. He was still, gazing unblinkingly at the back of Gavin's head as he drove. Connor returned his eyes to the road ahead before his sympathy for the android deepened any further. In the same way many humans took a particular interest to androids, the opposite could be said as well. Despite being made with integration in mind, there was still a few things Connor struggled to understand. He was torn from his daydream when Gavin cleared his throat. “We’re here.” They clambered out of the car together and trudged towards the interrogation room. As soon as they got there Connor froze. He didn’t want to do this. Error after error blared within his mind, though he couldn’t bring himself to care. He knew it was imperative to his mission without being constantly reminded. Unfortunately the mission wasn’t the only thing at stake here. If he went along with the interview and found something that incriminated Nines further, he was legally bound to form a report. If the report went through that would mean further investigation at The Colosseum.

He glanced up at Gavin. “I don’t want to…”  
“I know.” He snapped back with more aggression than usual. He pushed the other android into the room and closed the door after him, turning to reassure Connor. “Wait out here. I’ll… I’ll think of something.”  
...What? Connor nodded dumbly and stepped back, allowing Gavin to slip into the room and begin the interrogation alone. He watched through the one-way glass as they started talking, however he struggled to actually process what he was seeing. His fists clenched. The rational part of him knew that what Gavin was attempting to do went against everything he’d been programmed for. They weren’t supposed to make deals with criminals off record. Despite overstepping the boundaries of professionalism long ago, they still had a chance to redeem themselves as investigators. Hank was another issue entirely. Just how much had he known about Nines’s deception? Was he in on it as Gavin has said? Had he lied? Connor shook his head, coming to the realization that mulling it over now would only result in more worry. He glanced towards the door as Gavin stepped through it. That hadn’t taken very long.   
“You didn’t… send the report already, did you?” He asked.   
Connor shook his head slightly. “Should I have?”  
Gavin sighed. “No. Don’t.”  
Connor knew that withholding information, especially something as important as this, could land them in serious trouble if they were caught. However, he failed to see why they should. Nines wasn’t a danger to anyone. “I won’t.” He agreed simply.   
“Good. Yeah, good.” Gavin replied.  
“What now?” Connor asked.  
“We’ve agreed to… overlook Nines’s mistake. We’ll take what he’s discovered and set up a temporary facility to address each case of the infection. Government funded, of course. He predicts we’ll be able to eradicate it in three months, give or take.”  
“But what if the original hacker spreads it further?”  
Gavin sighed. “That’s the thing. There was no human hacker to begin with. We read the case wrong. There was no malicious intent. It was just a glitch.”  
“Androids don’t glitch, detective.”  
“They do if they install third-party software.”  
“Oh.” Connor said. It made sense. Each of the androids that had been affected had used parts and coding outside of their original design to increase the experience of sexual arousal. He looked down towards the floor, shaking his head slightly. This was all too overwhelming. He should have listened to Gavin from the beginning, instead of assuming so much from the case files alone. Granted it was the most likely scenario, but he’d been wrong, and he’d days of work on a baseless theory only to have the truth uncovered in an hour. “I shouldn't have…”  
Gavin grunted. “Yeah, you shouldn’t have. But you did.” He glanced back at Nines. “I’m keeping him overnight. We’re gonna… you know, work some things out.”  
Connor didn’t know, but he didn’t bother to ask. “I’ll go back to the club and ensure Mr.Anderson is aware of the agreement.” He said, though his partner had already slipped back into the interrogation room. 

Connor was never a fan of driving alone when he could avoid it, however it proved to be exactly what he needed. A space to think. He recalled each of his brief interactions with Hank. There was never any obvious manipulation, at least not that Connor wasn’t fully aware of. He was a good man, despite the general stereotypes around the work he did, and cared about each employee as an individual. He was far from the cheeriest person around, but he got along with people for the most part. It had scarcely crossed Connors mind that perhaps Hank wasn’t attracted to Connor in the same way he himself was. Connor paused at a stoplight. Attracted. It was undeniable that he found the man intriguing, but to what extent? He swallowed thickly as he came to the realization that there was little he didn’t want from Hank. There was that feeling again. The want that he felt deep in his artificial gut without any related mission-oriented outcome. There was no reason he wanted Hank, whatever that meant. He just did.  
When he arrived at the club, it had quietened down significantly. Ahlanna sat behind her desk and greeted him kindly, but with hesitance. She’d been kind to him since their first interaction, and had helped him get the job to begin with. Connor felt dizzy with the knowledge that she’d likely get in trouble for giving him the benefit of the doubt. “You know, then?” He asked, sounding far too robotic.  
She nodded, turning away from her computer and leaning back in her seat.   
“I’m sorry.”  
“I know.” She sighed. “But I don’t blame you.”  
“You should.” Connor replied. “I lied to you.” He could feel himself coming apart at the seams. Him and Ahlanna weren’t close by any stretch of the imagination, but she was part of the club.   
“You were just trying to help people, I can’t fault you for that.”  
“I know. And I could have. It would be much easier if… if…”  
“If what?” She smiled sadly, knowingly. “If you didn’t feel?” Connor nodded. “Well, you do. You can only manage it from here on out. Either that or indulge yourself.”  
Connor felt his shoulders stiffen. “Which did you do?”  
Ahlanna chuckled. “A little bit of both, actually. But mostly the latter. Much more fun that way.”  
Connor couldn’t help but smile back. He paused. “You shouldn’t be okay with… with me.”  
“Yeah, well, I’ve decided I am.” She beckoned Connor closer and took his hand. “As long as you can keep this place open.”  
“I can’t guarantee that.” He replied stiffly.  
“I know.” She said. “But I trust that you will.”   
“Why?”  
Ahlanna didn’t respond for a few moments, instead opting to allow Connor to come to the conclusion independently. He knew why himself, though, he just didn’t know what he’d done to warrant such baseless trust from Ahalanna, appreciated though it was. “Hank wants to see you.”  
Connor glanced up, brows knitting in confusion. “He knows I’m here?”  
“No.” She smiled, and pulled her hands back from his. “He’s in his office.”

With the conversation clearly over, Connor nodded and turned to the second entrance to the club, the one that would lead him into the main area of the building, with its low stages and plush coaches and soft lights. It was the same room that had managed to completely change Connors attitude towards the entire case overnight, and where he’d had his first kiss. No matter how little of the usual sentimental value he placed on the concept, the context mattered, especially when it had involved Hank. There was barely half a dozen androids still servicing customers. Word travelled fast around close-knit work-places like this, and any news of cops in the building meant immediate evacuation for a large chunk of them. Connor couldn’t blame them, especially not when he considered that his own actions parallel that of the wider legal system. He’d wedged himself into a community he didn’t belong in and uprooted it from the inside. Not a very pleasant experience for those that were simply trying to make a living the best they knew how. “I didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”  
Connor didn’t need to face Hank to know it was him speaking, but chose to regardless. He stood at the top of the stairs with a glass in his hand, his forehead damp with sweat. Connor chewed his bottom lip briefly before responding. “Am I unwelcome?” He asked.  
Hank cocked his head. “What do you think?”  
“Most people wouldn’t be particularly receptive to baseless accusations.”  
“Your accusations weren’t baseless.”  
“So you did know about Nines, then?” Connor asked. Damn, he was doing it again. Twisting Hanks words to try and manipulate the truth out of him. He needed to remind himself this wasn’t supposed to be an interrogation. He’d come here exclusively to make him aware of the deal.   
Hank paused before sighing loudly, and throwing the rest of his drink back. Once he swallowed, he said, “Why don’t you come into my office?”  
The LED churned yellow on the side of Connors head. He nodded, and followed Hank. The room was the same as it had been the first moment he’d stepped foot in it, unassuming and bland, far from what you’d expect given where it was. Although Hank himself wasn’t out of place at the club, the same couldn’t be said for his office. Connor noticed an open bottle of liquor on his desk but chose not to comment. “We were interrupted.”  
“So we were.” Hank replies, squinting, as though it were years ago. He’s teasing. “Shall we pick up where we left off?”  
Connor shook his head minutely. “That’s not why I’m here. My partner and I are willing to make an agreement.”  
“Oh, yeah?” Hank raised his eyebrows and sat behind his desk, fingers still firmly wrapped around his empty glass. Before he could stop himself, Connor moved to pour him another drink. He caught himself halfway, though, and sat down instead. Hank smirked. “What sort?”  
Connor crossed his legs and wedged his hands between his thighs. “We are proposing to excuse Nines’s crimes, as well as your involvement, as long as you continue to cooperate with us in the investegation and treating of affected androids. Thanks to your employee we have developed greater insight into potential solutions as well as preventative measures.”  
“What do I get out of it?”  
Connors brows knit together. “Your involvement will-”  
“Ah, see, that’s the thing.” Hank interrupted, leaning back in his chair. “I never actually admitted to that. All you have is your buddys word to go off.”  
Connors lips part in surprise. “Oh.”  
“Yeah, oh. So you’re gonna have to offer me up something else in exchange.”

Connors processing speed slowed down now of all times, when he needed it most. He could feel his skin begin to pricke, hyper-aware of his surroundings. He knew perfectly well what Hank was implying. The signs were all there. He’d been as open as he could be (given their situation) about his attraction to Connor from the very beginning, and the boundaries of professionalism were undoubtedly crossed when he willingly watched some rich kid stick his tongue down Connors throat. The android scanned him just to be sure. Elevated heart rate. Pupil dilation. He was placing his glass down on the desk. Slowly. “Oh.” Connor said again. His toes curled inside his shoes and his fingers dug deep into the dark fabric of his pants. “I’m uh, I’m not equipped to-”  
“Relax, kid. There’s more than one way to do things.” Hank told him. Despite the nickname, his voice was soothing. Connors shoulders dropped. “Seriously, though. We could work something else out. I’m not going to pretend you don’t have old men drooling over you every second of the day.”  
“I’m not opposed to the idea.” Connor said a tad too eagerly.  
Hank blinked. “You said the same thing about rigging.”  
Connor felt his face break into a smile at the memory. He was nervous as all hell, but managed to reply with “Perhaps we should begin with the basics, Mr. Anderson?” As much as he wanted it to appear coy, he knew it was only meek and awkward. Lucky for him, Hank didn’t mind.   
“Jesus.” He grumbled. “You know what you’re saying?”  
Connor frowned, and stood from his chair. If Hank was going to make the move, he might as well, despite his shaking legs. “Whatever you have planned for me, I’m sure it won’t be as horrendous as my last experience.”  
Hank cringed. “‘Whatever I have planned for you’?” He asks. “I’m already intending to fuck an officer way out of my league to as part of some vague verbal agreement we both know is illegal. I don’t need your help to sound like a dirty old man.”  
“Maybe I like you that way.”  
Hank snorted. Connor stepped closer still, fiddling with his fingers. Despite his words and obvious enthusiasm, he was still nervous. Until recently he’d been so sure of every move he’d made. He’d weighed up the pros and cons and preconstructed each action to the smallest detail before he played it out. His coding had served him well in the regard. He’d been completely able to predict with certainty what he should do and why. There were always valid reasons for doing anything he did. Of course, there was the illusion of reason between him and Hank now. Some small part of him still relied on the excuse of the case to keep his notifications at bay. Really, though, he was doing this because he wanted to. He had for a while, and he couldn’t recall ever experiencing this degree of lust at other other point in his existence. He wet his lips. He was pulled from his train of thought with the feeling of calloused, thick fingers along his arm. He blinked once, and returned to reality. “In fact, I’m sure I do.”

Hank smiled slightly, his cheeks warming to a blotchy, pink blush. He tightened his grip around Connors sarm, allowing him enough time to pull back if he changed his mind. He didn’t though, and instead stepped closer, leaning down awkwardly Over Hank, who was still sitting in his chair. “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. You’re a pretty boy, Con, it would be a shame to let that go to waste.”  
The android swallowed hard in response, nodding. He was getting impatient. There was only so much talking they could do before he lost his mind. He was already confused and overwhelmed as it was. “I don’t intend to.” He promised and placed his arms either side of Hanks chair, gripping the arm rests. He leant forward minutely, anticipating the inevitable kiss. What he felt instead was Hanks large palm against his jaw, tilting his head just so. He pushed back into the caress and sighed slow. He wasn’t going to wait any longer.  
The moment he pressed their lips together was noticeably different from the other kisses he’d shared. He melted into it, the slick and heat of a human mouth. He shut his eyes and breathed against Hanks lips despite the lack of need to. The action didn’t didn’t require putting much thought into it ether, his lips seemingly knowing what to do once they’d met Hanks. They moved against one-another in a messy pattern of affection. The sensitivity of the rest of his body lowered a fraction as they kissed, his thirithium pump stuttering in its process. It felt good, god it felt so good. He parted his lips and lent further still, raising a leg to slip between Hanks and stabilize himself. Hank kissed slow and languid, unhurried. Unlike Connor, he revelled in taking his time, making sure to adjust their positions and reassure the other with the occasional brush of his thumb against his cheek. It was intentionally more caring than what he’d witnessed. He may even dare say romantic. He’d not quite adjusted to kissing androids yet, and the differences were still noticeable. Connor was smooth and cool, and didn’t move in quite the way you’d expect. His willingness made up for it all though. It was clear to Hank that Connor was lacking in experience, but he wanted Hank, and who in their right mind would turn him down?

Connor could feel the growing heat between Hanks thighs against his knee as they kissed, and that only spurred him on further. He curled his fingers in Hanks shirt and shifted his leg experimentally, watching for a reaction. Hank gasped and pulled back momentarily. Connor couldn’t resist scanning him, and was pleased with what he found. Arousal levels had jumped significantly, as well as his body temperature. The hand on his cheek was beginning to sweat. “Tell me how it feels. Not ‘slippery’ I hope?” Hank asked, raising an eyebrow.   
Connor smiled sheepishly. “It’s… so much.” It wasn’t what he’d intended to say, but it was it seemed to be enough for Hank, who chuckled softly in response.   
“Too much?”  
“No, god no. Not enough.” He breathed, and kissed him again. The heat between them was growing steadily, and Connor wanted more of it. He wrapped both his arms around Hanks neck without thinking, only for the seat to tip forward an inch. He felt a rush of shock at his miscalculation, though he’d underestimated the others strength. Once Hank caught wind of what was happening he placed his hands either side of Connors waist and moved with him until they were where they needed to be, one straddling the other, the chair beneath them both squeaking in protest beneath their combined weight. Although it would have been wise to, neither of them had wanted to break the kiss while they positioned themselves.

Connor continuously noticed Hanks warmth, both the heat of his growing erection as well as the clammy palms resting on his hips. He’d never been this close to a human, save for Playton. The thought encouraged him to roll his hips as he’d done then, eager for a reaction. Hanks breath hitched, and his grip tightened. Connor felt himself push back into the touch, as if asking Hank to hold him in place. He did with pleasure, and pulled him forward, encouraging Connor to rock against him again. It wasn’t long before they set into a slow rhythm, rutting against one-another and sharing hot breath between them. Connor's crotch plate wasn’t particularly sensitive in relation to the rest of him, but he still felt every movement Hank made beneath him, everytime his cock twitched beneath his pants. It wasn’t enough though, he needed to see it. To feel it directly against his artificial skin. To feel the weight of its length against his tongue. He moaned at the thought and pulled his hands from Hanks neck slowly, trailing his fingers down his shirt, unbuttoning as he went. 

Hank returned the favour, slipping his hands up beneath Connors thin shirt, his calloused fingers hard against the soft stomach of the pristine android. Once he felt the open air against his own chest, he broke the kiss and blinked hard, ensuring he hadn’t imagined the the debauched look on Connor’s face. He was so, so inviting, lips parted and pink. “If you could see yourself now…” He murmured and began to undress him. He tossed Connors shirt on the floor, and took a moment to take in what he’d revealed. He was thin but defined, completely smooth and hairless. Hank was pleased to find that the moles and freckles hadn’t been reserved to his face, and instead dotted his entire body. He briefly wondered how many hours his designers had spent placing each miniscule detail. He lent forward, pressing a small kiss to Connors chest and glancing up at him. Connor returned his gaze and huffed, impatient. It was unfair how much this affected him, especially when he had no means to achieve the orgasm he was chasing. He slid his hands through Hanks hair, and then down his chest. He moved slowly, unsure if he was doing this correctly. Once he was on his knees on the floor, he couldn’t imagine that this wasn’t typical. It had come no naturally to him. 

Above him, Hank smiled warmly and scratched his beard. “You know what you’re doing?”  
“Hardly.” Connor replied. Strangely enough the comment didn’t deter him. If anything, it had the opposite effect. He slid his hands over Hanks thighs, shuffling forward on his knees. Later, if there was going to be a later, He’d ensure his exploration of Hank was thorough and extensive. For now his intention was simple. He unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants, mouth already salivating in preparation. He thanked Kamski silently for the delicate sensors in his mouth as he pulled the waistband of his boxers. “Oh.” He said for the third time that evening. Hank was of average length, but his girth more than made up for it. He was almost comparable to the size of Connors wrist. It was a strange sensation for Connor to want something in his mouth this badly. He reached out to wrap his fingers around it, and began to stroke slowly. It was heavier and less pliant than he’d imagined, and responded well to his touch. He glanced up at Hank to ensure he was doing everything right, and his expression gave it away instantly. His mouth hung open an inch and his eyes hadn’t left Connor.

Still returning his gaze, Connor tilted his head downwards, allowing the tip of Hanks cock to bathe in his breath. Hank threaded his fingers through Connors curls and guided him to take the rest of his length, inch by torturous inch. Connor closed his lips around the base of him and swallowed once, committing the exact shape of it to memory.  
“Fuck.” Hank swore above him, gripping him harder to keep him in place for a moment while he got ahold of himself. Androids had no gag reflex, and so Connors throat was completely relaxed around him. The excess amount of fluid was a plus, too. “You good?’ He asked.  
It took Connor a moment to respond. He ran his tongue along the underside of his cock and nodded slightly. He begun to pull back slowly, allowing Hank to direct him. There was still some part of him that derived pleasure from being told what to do, even indirectly. 

He hesitantly dragged his tongue over the head of his length, an airy moan leaving his lips. “Hank.” He said because he could and took him into his mouth once again. It was such a strange sensation. He wanted to remember every detail of it. Hank only grunted in response as he eased back onto his cock. It’d been a few months since he’d gotten any himself, and he’d forgotten how fucking good it felt to have a robotic twink suck him off. They didn’t typically respond the way Connor was though. He glanced down at him for a moment, and swore yet again at the expression he was greeted with. Connors cheeks were flushed thirithium blue, his lips slick with faux saliva. He tugged him further until Connors nose rested against the arch of his pubic bone. It was proving difficult to believe that he hadn’t been made for this as he claimed. Connor blinked. Hank tightened his grip in Connor's hair further, aware that he likely wouldn’t be able to feel pain, and began to move him. He kept his own hips entirely still, insistent on letting Connor do all the work. They both preferred it that way. 

Connor hummed as he was manhandled, bobbing his head in just the way he’d been lead to. Although he desperately wanted to keep his eyes open and focused on Hank, the instant he shut them he relaxed further into the task, allowing his jaw to fall slack. It felt good to be pleasing Hank like this. To have his equipment misused for the brief, carnal pleasure of a human he’d met only a few days ago. Despite the nature of the act, it remained the first soley self-centered decision he’d made, not that he was willing to admit that quite yet. Once he’d fallen into a suitable rhythm, Hank smoothed his hair back into its original place and instead held him by the side of face. Connor paused for a moment to glance up at him, picking up the speed as he did so now that he’d been granted control. Hanks eyes fluttered closed for a moment. “Good.” He praised. “So fucking good, baby.”

Connor had never been so greatly affected by so few words. He shivered, and the pump inside him began to beat erratically. He was notified of his internal cooling system having to increase efficiency by 20%. A moan erupted from his throat and he continued to do his job, hands either side of Hanks thighs. He scanned Hank again and found all the signs that he was nearing orgasm. He wanted it. He wanted it so badly. To pleasure Hank in such a way was just as pleasurable for him. He increased the pace a fraction and shifted forward, willing Hank wordlessly over the edge. Just as he thought he might be getting what he wanted, Hanks hand was in his hair again, pulling him roughly off his cock. He blinked once. Twice. “Hank?” He asked, concerned that he’d done something wrong. 

After a moment and a few heavy pants, Hank replied. “Not yet.”  
Connor was as intrigued as he was impatient. “Why not?”  
Hank didn’t reply in the way the android expected him to. “Get up.” He said. “Lay on your back on my desk.” His voice was rough and authoritative, and Connor adored it.   
He rose slowly from the floor. “I told you, I don’t have-”  
“Yeah, yeah. I know. Just trust me kid.” He said, standing up himself. He was so handsome like this, Connor thought. With his face red and his chest drenched with sweat, a hand wrapped around his thick cock. “You can do that, can’t you?”  
Connor nodded and immediately did as the other had asked, sliding onto the desk. He kept himself propped up on his elbows, and hesitantly allowed his legs to fall open for Hank to stand between. He did so, and began to slip off the androids pants. They were so tight, though, and he eventually gave up and threw both his legs over the same shoulder. Connor was only becoming more and more intrigued by the moment. If was only when he felt the wet head of Hanks cock between his thighs that he understood. “I see.” He said, voice wavering.   
“Mhm.” Hank replied from above him. “I’m gonna fuck you, Connor. Or at least get as close as I can possibly get.”  
“Please.” Connor responded, suddenly wishing he’d had the necessary upgrades long ago.   
Hank watched the expression on his face shift as he tilted his hips, sliding his dick between Connors plush thighs. They were covered in freckles like the rest of him, and were wider than they had any right being given the proportion of the rest of his body. Not that either of them were complaining. The leftover slick from Connors mouth aided him well, allowing him to move smoothly. Fucking Connors thighs was noticeably different than the blowjob he’d received. It was less tight for one, but allowed him the luxury of seeing both Connors face and the rest of his body in their full glory, spread out below him. 

Connor bit his lip. He didn’t know wether to look at the head of Hanks cock disappearing and reappearing between his thighs, or the expression of the man ‘fucking’ him. He felt too needy simply laying there, though, and attempted to rock his hips back against Hanks waist.  
“That’s not gonna work, baby.” Hank replied, and Connor could only whine in response. There was that damned word again. If this was going to happen again, he needed to reassure Hank its use was both appropriate and very much appreciated. He felt a strong hand on his side, stilling him, and obeyed the wordless instruction. He gripped the hand and tugged it up to his mouth, shoving two of Hanks fingers between his lips and moaning at the sensation. “Bit of an oral fixation?” Hank asked, digging his nails further into his thighs at the sight.   
Connor nodded. “Mhm.” he said simply. His processing speed was at an all-time low. He could explain his little kink to Hank later. He tongued between the fingers, coasting them with spit. He felt surrounded by Hank in the best way possible. 

Hank could feel his stomach begin to tighten. His efforts to prolong the experience had been unsuccessful. “I’m gonna fuck you for real eventually.” He said, not quite knowing if the promise was empty or not. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? To feel me inside you?”  
“I would.” Connor responded immediately. “Fuck me, Hank. Please.”  
Hank had to close his eyes for a moment, the familiar heat in his gut growing. Connor seemed to notice it, too, because he squeezed his legs together slightly. “Fuck me.” He said again, this time with more intention than the first. Hank felt himself begin to lose resolve. The uphill was all too quick, and before he could stop himself he was cumming. His hips stilled as a wave of pure pleasure washed over him. His cock twitched lazily, spurting streaks of cum onto Connors lower stomach. He groaned heavily. “Jesus christ.” He said, both his head and dick throbbing. “God.”

Connor looked back at him, appearing as exhausted as an android could. “Hank.”  
“Yeah, I know baby, I know.” It came out sounding far more romantic than he’d initially intended it to. He slipped out from between his legs after a moment and lent down to kiss him. It was sloppy and uncoordinated, but undeniably enjoyable. When Hank pulled away, Connor slid his fingers in the mess on his stomach, and raised his fingers to his mouth, tasting Hanks cum while continuing to hold his gaze.   
He chuckled. “What the hell am I going to do with you?”  
“Fuck me, I’d hope. You promised after all.”  
“Yeah. Yeah, I suppose I did.”


End file.
